Olympia-- Today, Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn announced he was endorsing Secretary of State Kim Wyman for re-election.

“Kim Wyman is a tireless advocate for the voters. I’ve seen her dedicated work on behalf of all Washingtonians, and wholeheartedly support her re-election. She is endorsed by Democrats, Republicans, and non-partisan officials who all trust her to protect our elections. Washington's elections are secure, fair, and accessible to all eligible voters.”

“Kim is also an education advocate, supported by students, teachers, parents, and many others who know the excellent work she has done in the Secretary of State’s office to increase the prominence of civics education. As the Washington Education Association noted when they endorsed Kim, she has been a tireless advocate for equitable, effective, and educational civic involvement for our children."

Secretary Wyman thanked Dorn for his support, saying “I’m grateful to Superintendent Dorn’s for his support in our fight to keep Washington’s elections fair, accessible, and secure. He knows that when it comes to our elections, experience matters.

The accessibility of Washington’s elections has soared under Secretary of State Kim Wyman’s leadership, according to a new report from Ballotpedia. Between 2014 to 2016, Washington increased its ranking by nineteen places, moving from 22nd to 3rd in the nation for voting accessibility.

Ballotpedia is a non-partisan and professionally authored source for elections information. Their report finds that “Washington's score improved from our last report more than that of any other state” - an increase of 24 points out of the 50 their ranking system awards. Ballotpedia found that Washington’s ease of access, quality of information, and response speed all ranked highly.

Secretary of State Kim Wyman thanked local election officials and advocates for their hard work to ensure that Washington’s elections lead the nation. “Washington’s elections have repeatedly been recognized for our cutting-edge technology, strong election security, and wide ballot accessibility. While other states have struggled, Washington has continued its long history of leading the nation in elections innovation.”

Tacoma, WA – Pierce County Auditor Julie Anderson has announced that she is endorsing Secretary of State Kim Wyman for re-election.

“This year, picking the right Secretary of State is more important than ever. It is crucial that citizens be able to trust their elections,” Anderson said. "After seven years of strictly not endorsing any candidate for any position, I'm stepping out to support Secretary of State Kim Wyman for re-election.”

“Having worked side-by-side with her, I know Kim Wyman to be a trustworthy, honest, fair, and nonpartisan elections leader. I admire her deep understanding of election law and her fierce passion for defending its ideals. She knows that one of her primary duties is to earn and hold the trust of Washington's voters.”

“Her opponent doesn't understand this. By manipulating election statistics - whether through ignorance or guile - Kim Wyman's opponent has demonstrated that they are materially unfit to hold the Office of the Secretary of State.”

“I am honored by the bipartisan support that I have already received during my reelection campaign,” said Secretary of State Wyman.

“With the ever-increasing partisanship on the national level, it is essential to have someone in the Secretary of State’s office who voters can trust. Kim is a leading figure in the elections community, and is dedicated to the impartial and fair administration of elections,” said former State Auditor Brian Sonntag (D).

“Kim is the only candidate running who is qualified to perform the duties of Secretary of State. This is not a job for an inexperienced partisan activist, or a position that permits on-the-job training,” said former Secretary of State Sam Reed (R). “Other states look to us as a leader in election reform because of Kim’s experience, leadership, and capability,” added former Secretary of State Ralph Munro (R).

“Secretary of State Kim Wyman has kept Washington a national voting leader,” said former Washington State Supreme Court Chief Justice Gerry Alexander (NP). “Her non-partisan approach and hard work to keep our elections successful has kept Washington as a model state for voting accessibility and security."

Secretary of State Kim Wyman is the only candidate in her race who has received bipartisan endorsements from Democrats, Republicans, and non-partisan office-holders, and the only candidate with endorsements from local election officials.

Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman today announced endorsements from King County Elections Director Julie Wise and Snohomish County Auditor Carolyn Weikel. Together, they oversee over 1.6 million active voter registrations representing 40% of Washington State’s voters.

“I am endorsing Kim Wyman because it is critical that we have qualified professionals overseeing our elections system,” said King County Elections Director Julie Wise. “My job is to ensure that we have fair, open and accurate elections in King County and Kim is the experienced partner I need in Olympia.”

“Washington State is a national leader in voting rights, access, and modern systems,” said Snohomish County Auditor Carolyn Weikel. “Kim Wyman has encouraged voter registration, and pushed to modernize and update our elections system. She is a tireless advocate for voters, and deserves to be re-elected.”

Wyman thanked Weikel and Wise for their support, noting that, “Auditor Weikel and Director Wise are committed to accessible, secure, and fair elections. Their support drives home the message that we need trusted and experienced leadership in our elections departments.”

Secretary Kim Wyman is currently endorsed by more than 50 current and former county elections officials, and is the only candidate with public endorsements from Washington's elections officials.

With over 85,000 members, the Washington Education Association is the largest representative of public school employees in Washington. They also endorsed Secretary Wyman in 2012.

Secretary Wyman thanked the WEA for their endorsement, saying, “I am grateful to the Washington Education Association for their endorsement. I am dedicated to engaging students and young people in our democracy. Maintaining a strong education system is central to that goal.”

“The Office of the Secretary of State has a rich history of engaging young voters. Our education programs have engaged hundreds of thousands of Washington students with a variety of civic engagement activities. We continue to rank amongst the top states in the country for voter registration and participation rates for young voters.”

Secretary Wyman noted that she is endorsed by a wide variety of organizations, including the WEA, the Washington Patrol Troopers Association, the Retired Public Employees Council, and the Washington Association of Realtors.

“This diverse support shows that, no matter our party or policy priorities, we can agree on the principle that all elections should be accessible, secure, and impartial. I am dedicated to that principle, and will always place voters’ voices above partisan politics."

SECRETARY OF STATE WYMAN ANNOUNCES ENDORSEMENTS OF ELECTIONS OFFICIALS

May 23, 2016For Immediate Release

Today Secretary of State Kim Wyman released a long list of over 45 bipartisan endorsements from state and county election directors across Washington. These elections experts have endorsed Secretary Wyman’s re-election campaign.

“I am honored by the diverse support that I have already received during my reelection campaign,” said Secretary of State Wyman. “The fact that over two-thirds of sitting County Election Directors and County Auditors have already endorsed my campaign is a statement of trust that I do not take for granted.”

Headlining the list are all three former Washington Secretaries of State: Ralph Munro, Bruce Chapman, and Sam Reed. Together they represent a combined 36 years leading the office.

“Kim is the only candidate running who is qualified to perform the duties of Secretary of State,” said former Secretary of State Reed. “This is not a job for an inexperienced partisan activist, or a position that permits on-the-job training. The Secretary of State’s office performs one of the most important and sacred duties in state government: ensuring that our elections are run accurately, impartially, and with integrity. Kim is committed to this ideal.”

“Kim’s 23 years administering elections makes her the best in our nation. Other states look to us as a leader in election reform because of Kim’s experience, leadership, and capability,” said former Secretary of State Munro.

“Secretary of State Kim Wyman has been a champion of voting rights,” said Cowlitz County Auditor Kristina Swanson (D). “Democrats, Republicans, and Independents all ought to support Kim."

As of this writing, Secretary of State Wyman is the only candidate for Secretary of State who currently has public endorsements from local elections directors and county auditors. The full list of endorsements from current and former elections administrators is below:

“My opponent’s call to cancel the May 24 Presidential Primary underscores her lack of experience conducting elections and her limited understanding of the job of the Secretary of State,” said Wyman. “Most distressing, her call for cancellation speaks poorly to how much she values voter participation.”

“All Washington citizens deserve to have the opportunity to have their voices heard when it comes to choosing our next President,” Wyman added. “Canceling the Presidential Primary this week would not save significant tax dollars, as most costs have already been incurred by the counties and state.”

Printing and mailing of ballots and the voter pamphlet have already taken place. Voting in the Presidential Primary Election began in April, with the mailing of 65,000 military and overseas ballots. Most of the state’s 4.1 million voters will receive their ballots by today, with all ballots being mailed by Friday, May 6. The Presidential Primary is mandated by state law and would require a court order or action by the legislature to be cancelled. “It is disappointing that my opponent did not attempt to recognize this before she called for the election to be cancelled,” stated Wyman.

Washington could have held a Presidential Primary on March 8, if the State Democratic Party leaders hadn’t blocked the date change Secretary Wyman proposed last year. Every Washington voter’s voice would have been heard and each vote would have been more relevant to the nominating process.

The goal of Washington’s elections community is civic engagement of our electorate. We work to make voting and participating in the political process accessible, accurate and secure.

It has been sad to hear the stories of so many caucus participants who say “never again” after recently enduring caucuses that lasted until after midnight in some cases.

Self-government should be engaging and without barriers, not frustrating and exhausting. I am concerned that new voters, especially our Millennials, will walk away from “the system” rather than begin a lifetime of voting and civic engagement.

I remind everyone that all four million of our state’s voters are invited to participate in the national presidential selection process. The Washington presidential primary is just around the corner, with ballots arriving by May 6.

Today Washington State Secretary of State Kim Wyman thanked the newspapers that have endorsed her plan to bring relevance back to Washington's Presidential Primary, and give Washington voters more choices when they cast their vote.

Excerpts from four of the editorials supporting Secretary Wyman's plan are below, from The Seattle Times, The Olympian, The Kitsap Sun, and The Columbian.